


An Assassin's Weakness

by mel_molly



Category: American Assassin - Vince Flynn
Genre: Father-Daughter Relationship, Modern Assassins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 17:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14359833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mel_molly/pseuds/mel_molly
Summary: Mitch Rapp had his duties. He killed who needed to be killed and did what needed to be done, no matter the costs. He was the best in his field and never had any hesitation to follow through on a mission. He had successfully taken down drug lords and arms dealers and big corporations. Big tasks were no issue for Mitch Rapp. But it's always the small things in life that are unexpected that get you. Especially when they discover your identity and show up at your door late at night seeking your help on a mission that will change your life forever.





	1. Room 118

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Laura (twitter: shawnobrjen)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Laura+%28twitter%3A+shawnobrjen%29).



Mitch Rapp had his duties. He killed who needed to be killed and did what needed to be done, no matter the costs. He was the best in his field and never had any hesitation to follow through on a mission. He had successfully taken down drug lords, arms dealers and big corporations. Big tasks were no issue for Mitch Rapp, but even a trained assassin deserves a Christmas break.

Stan had given him 4 days off-duty for Mitch to be able to have a calm Christmas yet Mitch still itched for any kind of stimulation to keep him busy since he had no contact with his family and was pretty much a lone wolf during the holidays. He didn't mind being alone, Stan said he worked his best that way so Mitch was used to waking up to an empty apartment every morning. To try and get into a festive spirit Mitch had booked a flight to Rome. He had been before but never to go sight-seeing since he was working every time he was there. If you could even call what he did as "working". He had even managed to buy a red pocket tool keyring emblazoned in cursive with Rome. He had only brought a backpack with him since travelling light was quicker and more efficient. Mitch checked into his hotel and subconsciously scanned the view identifying all the landmarks as if they were targets. He rubbed his tired eyes before collapsing on his bed, drowsy with jetlag.

He woke up to a dark hotel room that was lit by the hazy glow of the skyline. Mitch turned on the TV and flicked through the channels but ended up turning it off because it was all commercials. He picked up the landline and called for room service because although it wasn't cold, he'd be damned if he went out this late in the city to try and find a place to eat. Especially on Christmas Eve. A few moments later, there was a knock at his door and he peered through the peephole to see a member of staff in uniform with a trolley. "Mr Clarke? Your order, sir," the man announced in a tone that could only be described as hollow. Mitch hadn't used his real name, of course. He was meant to be off-the-grid to the world and his identity was unbeknownst to all but the Orion team and his family. Mitch unclasped the latch and opened the door, allowing the man to push his trolley in before leaving. Mitch gave that polite smile you give to strangers before wishing the man a Merry Christmas and closing the door.

Mitch carried his plate off the trolley and onto his lap before opening his laptop and studying the case file of a mission they had coming up. Mitch always liked to prepare, to know all the details of the case so nothing was left unturned and no theory untouched. They were hunting down a large group of dealers all selling stolen military-grade weapons on the black market. If they got into the wrong hands, they would most probably be used for anything but good. Mitch was scrolling down the document page when there was a small thud from beside the cart, making his body stiffen and him instinctively grab for his gun. He trod towards the cart, his heart beating steadily. 

As he drew closer to it, he heard breathing from under the muslin cloth. His ears pricked at it and his mind raced with millions of thoughts. Someone had found him. His cover was blown. The gang may have got intel on where he was and had come to eliminate him. He lurched forward and grabbed a handful of clothing, dragging the impostor out from their hiding place and slamming them on the generic hotel carpet, his knee on their chest, his gun pointing at their face. But it wasn't a spy, or a gang member or someone sent over by Stan to keep him on his toes. It wasn't any of those things. It was a girl.

She looked to be around the age of 16 and undoubtedly terrified. Mitch took his knee off her chest and retracted his gun to his waistband but kept his hand on it. After all, she could very well be a spy. He remembered a case in Russia where two young boys had crossed the border and assassinated a politician there unsuspected. They had been spies from Poland and had been dismissed because no one thought them to be dangerous, they were only children. Mitch wasn't about to be killed by a child. He stood up and analysed her. She was dressed up warm and had a small backpack. Her hands wore leather gloves and her hat and scarf were woven of lambswool. She was no street kid seeking shelter in the cold winter night, yet here she was.

Mitch sat down on his bed, still staring at her. "Who are you?" he spoke harshly. She didn't respond at first due to her whole body shaking with fear. The girl shifted her body slowly upwards and propped herself against the wall before announcing her name to be Katrynna Maria Isabel Scutari. A lump formed in Mitch's throat. Katrina. He grew more impatient and demanded, "Yes, but who are you? Who are you with?"

"I'm not with anybody?"

"So why the hell are you hijacking my dinner cart and sneaking into my room? and don't give me some bullshit excuse about how you must have ended up in the wrong room. So I'll ask you again, who are you working for?"

"And I'm telling you I'm not working for anybody. And you're right, I did know where I was going. I knew this would be your room but I am not here to kill you. If I was, I'm pretty sure you would have killed me by now being one of the most highly trained assassins in the world. I would have to be a complete coglione to try and assassinate an assassin"

"What is that? Italian? You from here?"

"My...father. He is Italian, I grew up in Italy."

"Yet you have no accent, why is that?"

"My father sent me to a boarding school in America when my mother passed away. I was 8 and I came back to him last year"

"What was your name again?"

"Katrynna Maria-"

"No, not all that. Your last name."

"Scutari," she spoke again. Mitch knew that name. He racked his brain for any recollection of it and then it clicked. The Scutari case. That family were notorious for being businessmen which made them impossible to arrest. In legal terms, they were clean but they had more blood on their hands than Mitch himself did. "So that's why you're here. You are a Scutari. What does your father want from me?"

"I'm not here for my father. Well, I am but it is not because he wants you dead. It is because I want you to kill him."


	2. Merry Christmas

Mitch almost laughed at the proposition; he wasn't some family four by four that could be rented out to anyone who needed him. He looked at the girl again and noticed her face, it was discoloured on her cheek like it had been healing from a collision. "Um, I don't think you get how things work, kid. You can't just bypass hotel security, get into my hotel room and the ask me to kill your own father unless you were desperate or in trouble or both. Enough for you to run away from home and track me down...how did you track me down?"

"My father has all kinds of tech guys to do his online business with clients, growing up around them I know a thing or two. Enough to hack my aunt's laptop and phone to listen in on where you were going to be. You're clever. I am desperate and my mother left me a backup plan in case my father's work would put me in a difficult position. She left me Irene's number, address and email and some money in case I had to leave."

"If Irene is your aunt why did you didn't contact her? Why me? Why now?"

"My father is a good businessman, but a bad father. He...would hurt me. None of his colleagues would do anything. They wouldn't dare to. When my mother was alive we would go to our holiday house whenever he got bad but she died, and he made me suffer the consequences. I can't go to my aunt. She was only a friend of my mother's, she was never a blood relative. If you were to kill him, I would be an orphan but anything would be better than to be with him." Mitch couldn't do it. His hands were tied and ever since he joined Orion he was supposed to kill criminals and arms dealers, not businessmen and especially not when he didn't have the authority of Stan. Killing this man would be murder, not another job. "You need to leave now, there is no way I could kill your father. He has no ties to any crime, isn't a known threat, he is no enemy of mine or my boss'. I'm so sorry, kid"

"You and I both know his type of business, you said so yourself that he isn't the cleanest of men. Please...I can't go back there. I just...cannot. You have to understand this, my mother would want me to relieve myself of him and break ties with the family. I have money" She fumbled through her backpack and shoved it into Mitch's lap. Her cheeks were wet and her eyes forlorn and scared. No longer of Mitch, but of the idea of him saying no. She was virtually on her knees begging him. He concluded she had no other family otherwise she wouldn't be here. She had a family but they were no family to her. Mitch couldn't leave this poor child, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he went back to the U.S knowing she would be in danger. He was responsible for her now. If he were to do this, he couldn't go to Irene or Stan. They couldn't ever find out, this would be his own secret.

Katrynna was crying into his lap as he thought. He had to. There was no way on this earth that Mitch was going to leave this innocent, pure child in that cruel reality she was living in. "We leave in the morning, you take the bed. You don't have to worry about him anymore" Katrynna's head jolted up, her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her face flushed but she radiated happiness. She wiped her tears away and stood up straight up. "Thank you," she said. She sniffed another time as Mitch stood up in front of her. Katrynna suddenly snaked her arms around Mitch's torso and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she repeated. Mitch patted her back awkwardly and wanted to explain how she didn't need to thank him but didn't want to ruin the moment they were clearly having.

Katrynna retracted her arms and picked up her backpack. She headed to the bathroom to have a shower after clearing a long day. Mitch was worried that her father may notice she is gone but what did it matter? He most likely would not suspect her being with him so assumed they would be fine. He spent the next half an hour reviewing all the house through the security cameras he had hacked. The Orion team had planned on raiding the house a few months back so he still had all the info on his disk drive. Katrynna came out in a t-shirt and shorts with her hair in a turban. Her face was no longer red and puffy and Mitch could see the results of her father's anger on her legs and arms. It made his chest ached to see the trauma she had been put through all alone, and by her own fucking father.

Katrynna was asleep by the time Mitch had arranged for Katrynna to be put up for adoption, he had filled in the forms the best he could along with her profile information on their data network. He would send in the form after the mission and she would be taken care of by people who loved her. She would finally live the life she deserved to live. She wasn't her father and was going to live a crime-free life that comes along with all the riches a millionaire's daughter would have. It was 01:00 when Mitch fell asleep in the armchair after concocting a plan that had no flaws.

The next morning, the two dressed quickly and left the hotel room by 7 o'clock both agitated by the adrenaline coursing through their bodies. Mitch had intended to be in and out within 30 minutes and to keep Katrynna in a safe location nearby but when he saw the security had upgraded since their last visit there, Katrynna would have to get them through the Eye Identification system and wait inside. Katrynna strolled up to the door and pushed the buttons on the keypad, her fingers trembling with nerves. The door unlocked and she walked in, Mitch followed and went down the corridor to where Giancarlo was sleeping. Katrynna headed to the basement to switch off the camera system temporarily.

Mitch walked only along the blindspots of the cameras just in case, Katrynna was unable to deactivate them. He swung open the door and slipped into the room. It was still dark with the curtains drawn but Mitch could see the outline of the sleeping man. Mitch hadn't gone as far to plan how to kill him. Blood would involve cleaning up and would require time they just didn't have and that left very few options which would make the death look accidental. This was a murder that he was committing, the police would be involved- not the government. The Orion team wouldn't be responsible so this would have to look accidental. 

As Mitch's eyes adjusted to the light level, he spotted a chandelier directly above Giancarlo's head. If it were to fall the man would be undoubtedly crushed and his temple ruptured. The skull is thin there and the temple bone shatters easily and is where the main artery is located, the blood will have nowhere to go and the pressure will result in an instant death. Mitch carried a chair beside the bed and reached up carefully to where the chandelier fixture was. He needed a screwdriver. He pulled out the pocket tool keyring he had purchased on his little souvenir shop yesterday afternoon. The screwdriver was small and so were the screws which made it difficult to see in the darkness but Mitch frantically unscrewed three of the four screws. The chandelier threatened to fall and if the slightest breeze blew into the room it would come crashing down.

Mitch returned the chair to its place to avoid any blood getting on it and scooted back to the doorway. He ran to the fridge in the kitchen to get ice from the fridge freezer. It was weighty enough to throw at the chandelier and would melt by the time anyone else had arrived at the house and discover the body. Mitch bumped into Katrynna in the hallway and told her to wait outside. She had restarted the cameras and they would reboot back on in 5 minutes which gave Mitch enough time to finish the job. Katrynna exited through the front door whilst Mitch headed back to the bedroom. Mitch opened the door once again and launched several ice cubes at the chandelier that was hanging by a literal screw. It came down as planned and Mitch heard the smashing on not only the glass but the skull of the infamous Giancarlo Francesco Scutari.

Mitch shut the door and sprinted out the house before the cameras rebooted. Katrynna had the family bikes out from the garage and the two would ride out of town to an orphanage nearby. They were cycling down a street when Mitch looked over at Katrynna. She was gleeful and positively content with the wind in her hair and the smell of freedom in the breeze. Mitch saw a capable young girl who was free from the chains that condemned her but knew she would be sad at the orphanage like she had been sad at the boarding school. He knew how tough it was at boarding school. His parents had died when he was 16 and he had felt the blow of it like a child should never have. He was kicked out of three boarding schools, he couldn't stand them. They were as good as a prison and with no parents or home to go home to, his holidays and breaks were spent there. Mitch saw the happiness in Katrynna's eyes and would not let her got through that. He was all she had and he was not going to abandon her.

Mitch booked them a flight back to the states where Katrynna would live with him. He would have to prove himself a legal guardian for her in the following months but he didn't mind as long as she was with him and she was safe. "Katrynna, I want you to come live with me. In America"

"you know, I was hoping you would say that because if you had dumped in some sort of orphanage I would actually have assassinated you," she laughed. Mitch couldn't help but chuckle too. "As if you would even get close to being able to kill me" Mitch swerved towards Katrynna making her gasp slightly. She swerved back in his direction competitively whilst demanding, "I would too!" Mitch shook his head but saw her eyebrows furrowing with her lips upturned in a smirk. Her eyes narrowed as she continued pedalling a little bit faster than Mitch as if they were racing. Mitch saw it as a challenge and pushed the pedals faster, pumping his muscles announcing, "Fine, fine. You win. We're going to miss our flight if you don't hurry up"

"I would but I'm wearing denim shorts so it's difficult" Mitch observed the outfit she had chosen. Everything she was wearing was most definitely for fashion- not function. She had a tight leather jacket on which would restrict and arm movement if anything were to happen and her shirt was thin and could be punctured easily. Her shorts were the worst thing of all. Her legs would be exposed to shrapnel and any bullets would get lodged in the denim. Mitch was going to change her priorities from luxury to survival. She was no longer in a millionaire's home. She was under the care and supervision of an assassin. Mitch couldn't help but analyse the risk factors all about her. Now she was his responsibility, everything was a danger to her. "Well maybe you should have thought of that before putting them on and besides, they're too short for you. I am buying you some longer shorts"

"Ugh fine." She gruffed and rolled her eyes as she pedalled along behind Mitch, clearly annoyed with him beating her. "Hey, don't roll your eyes at me. It's for your own good...Katrynna?"

"Yeah?"

"Merry Christmas"


End file.
